The goalie game on Long Island

by James Mirtle on Jul 23, 2009 1:41 AM CDT in Free Agency Comment 26 comments

Well now we know for sure Rick DiPietro isn’t starting the season in the NHL, as we document below. Maybe he’ll be out even longer than we projected. Larry Brooks of the Post exclusively broke the news that the Islanders have signed Martin Biron to a one year, $1.4 million dollar contract. ... At such a good value, Biron is very tradeable for a pick before the deadline if Dwayne Roloson plays well - even if DiPietro doesn’t have a perfect return from rehab.

— Chris Botta, NYI Point Blank

There were some surprised looks in the newsroom Wednesday night when the Marty Biron sweepstakes (such as they were) ended with such a low salary and the league's worst team, but the fact of the matter was he really had aboslutely nowhere to go. (Although the KHL was calling...)

Even after the two best seasons of his NHL career with the Flyers, even after back to back years with a save percentage of .915 or better, Biron lost out on the goalie carousel this summer as we knew someone would, and his reward was a steep discount from the $3.5-million or so he was seeking and the right to battle two other NHL starters for time in goal.

Or so it would seem.

At second glance, however, should DiPietro be unable to go to start the season (likely), Biron will pick up most of the starts, and if he can prove himself (again) as a No. 1 (again, likely), there'll be a team in need of one by December. I guarantee it.

Let's say DiPietro's healthy, Dwayne Roloson plays lights out, even at age 40, and Biron's in demand with more than one team around the league — why not take on his $1.4-million to start, pay a small fraction of that and ship him out for a second-round pick when another team loses its guy to injury or inconsistency early on?

If nothing else, the Islanders likely have the best backup in the NHL right now — and to me that's worth something.

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From wear I’m sitting it looks more like a washed up (Biron), worn out (Roloson), and broken down (DiPietro) trio of netminders on the Isles right now. Backup goalies are good for opening the gate but you need a legitimate starter to compete for extended periods.

Salary may be the silver lining here but that won’t stop pucks. Streit, Suton, Witt, Martinek, Gervais, and Meyer are going to have their work cut out for them until DiPietro returns.

by puckreport on Jul 23, 2009 2:32 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Biron is “washed up”?

Look, the guy isn’t a #1 anymore. But as James said, he’s among the best backups in the league (I wouldn’t say he’s the best, but that’s nitpicking). I think that fact makes it hard to believe he’s “washed up”. At least he’s not a joke unlike Cloutier or Raycroft.

by Afino on Jul 23, 2009 7:56 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Washed up?

He still is a legitimate #1. He had two very strong seasons in Philadelphia and he’s only 32. He lost his job because he priced himself out of a team with Cap problems – I bet they would have taken him back at $1.4M.

I don’t even think they blamed the goalie for losing in the playoffs this year, which is unusual for Philly…

I've been looking at the sky

by Back In Black on Jul 23, 2009 8:50 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Hell, I’d have taken Biron back in Buffalo for $1.4 million.

by Afino on Jul 23, 2009 8:53 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Definitely better then whoever we have backing up Miller (is Patrick even healthy, Enroth?).

The population of Pominville keeps rising!

by Blackcapricorn on Jul 23, 2009 9:32 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Biron is pretty solid in the regular season, but it’s clear he’s not the caliber of goalie to get get a team past Crosby and Malkin in the playoffs.

Pensburgh.com -- it's like the Max Talbot of blogs*

*not just because we only work for 12 minutes a night

by Hooks Orpik on Jul 23, 2009 9:04 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Apparantly only Osgood fits that bill.

by dawgbone98 on Jul 23, 2009 9:37 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Biron and Roloson both had strong regular seasons last year, posting .915 save percentages and 28 wins. Only eight other NHL goalies did that or better last season.

Blogging on hockey at fromtherink.com

by James Mirtle on Jul 23, 2009 9:47 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

They are both so washed up and worn out that they posted identical .915 sv% last season while facing over 1500 and 1700 shots respectively.

Pension Plan Puppets: A Toronto Maple Leafs blog and a group therapy session.

by PPP on Jul 23, 2009 9:51 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Writing on the Wall?

1) Is the writing any more clearly on the wall that Dipietro’s career is in jeopardy? The team keeps pushing back his return. How many surgeries has he had in the past 18 months? Both hips, both knees(some more than once) as well as multiple concussions
2) he was supposed to be ready LAST training camp. Then he backed up while not being physically ready to play(insane!) Then he disappeared and the team has been coy ever since with regard to his health. many on the Island spot him STILL limping/on crutches.
3) Next the team drafts 2 goalies in the 2nd round. then sign 2 vet goalies. Botta, who has some inside info, is being told that Thanksgiving is when they see Ricky coming back, while the official team stance is that he will be ‘skating by August’, and back for training camp’ Anyone believe that? We don’t! The writing is on the wall folks!

I find sometimes it's easy to be myself
sometimes I find it's better to be somebody else

by Fauxrumors on Jul 23, 2009 7:35 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Career in jeopardy? Shoot if I was DP I’d just keep re-habbing until 2021 and collecting that $4.5 million a year.

Pensburgh.com -- it's like the Max Talbot of blogs*

*not just because we only work for 12 minutes a night

by Hooks Orpik on Jul 23, 2009 9:10 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I’d break my legs every year for 4.5 million!

by Jo4nny on Jul 23, 2009 9:35 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Good thing they have DiPietro signed until he turns 85…. geez…. could be the worst contract ever….

by Mateos_Canes_Lamp on Jul 23, 2009 9:10 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

1) IF he should have to stop playing due to injury the Isles are not on the hook for the cap hit of 4.5 million.
2) Not sure if they were able to get insurance coverege on such a long contract so the team might still have to pay him to sit.

I find sometimes it's easy to be myself
sometimes I find it's better to be somebody else

by Fauxrumors on Jul 23, 2009 10:30 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I think they actually did get insurance on the contract because I remember hearing that they actually were going to sign him for 18 years but the max they could feasibly get insurance was “only” 15.

Not sure if that is just rumor or possibly a joke gone wrong that’s circulated though.

Pensburgh.com -- it's like the Max Talbot of blogs*

*not just because we only work for 12 minutes a night

by Hooks Orpik on Jul 23, 2009 12:27 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I’ve heard the same thing.

Pension Plan Puppets: A Toronto Maple Leafs blog and a group therapy session.

by PPP on Jul 23, 2009 1:08 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Good move. Low cost and they have a ton of cap space.

by skatehack on Jul 23, 2009 9:45 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

I think Biron is being a bit cheeky

Look at that price tag: $1.4m. Guess what Emery signed for… $1.5m. I think Marty might’ve put that price tag on himself just out of spite when he couldn’t get what he wanted originally.

Hockey blogging can't get any flatter.

by saskhab on Jul 23, 2009 10:39 AM CDT reply actions 1 recs